The disease gradually worsened as it was cured!

By Anwar Sajidi

Mir Abdul Qudus Bizenjo approved the deal of Reko Diq without considering its consequences. He was expected to receive a military award called “Nishan Haider” for handing over the vast treasure trove to the Canadian Company Barrick Gold. However, the government of Pakistan only awarded him the civilian award, “Nishan Imtiaz”, for his service.

Despite being defeated in the 2024 election, Qudus Bizenjo has secured a seat in Pakistan’s upper house, the Senate. This achievement is partly due to his instrumental role in the Reko Diq deal. Barrick Gold, which acquired billions of tons of gold from the Reko Diq mine, should consider rewarding Mir Qudus Bizenjo for his exceptional services. If such a reward has already been given to him, that’s great.

Dr Malik Baloch and Nawab Sanaullah deserved recognition for their contributions to the Reko Diq case,

which was taken to the International Court of Arbitration. However, the previous governments of Balochistan ignored them both. Dr. Malik Baloch was even entitled to receive the “Pride of Performance” award for his efforts, but he didn’t receive it.

The state’s economic situation is widely known, but ordinary people are unaware. It is uncertain whether the efforts being made will yield positive results. Even if millions of acres of land in Cholistan are allocated for corporate agriculture, it is not guaranteed that the needs of 300 million people will be fulfilled.

There appears to be a significant amount of mismanagement in this country, resulting in national assets operating at a loss. It would be ideal if the modern agricultural sector could thrive under government supervision. As demonstrated by current efforts, the policies of the past 70 years have been unsuccessful.

Due to a lack of proper planning and management, incompetence has doomed various institutions such as WAPDA, PIA, and Steel Mills.

In the future, only bureaucrats or highly educated individuals will be entrusted with managing projects. However, this does not guarantee that every project will be successful. There is a lack of understanding of how to save the country from economic depression and prevent people from being trapped in poverty.

Regrettably, this country’s military and elected governments have experienced significant failures. The industrial revolution during the Ayub Khan era was undoubtedly a remarkable accomplishment. However, the revolution’s success was proclaimed before its results were visible, and it was mainly done to gain political advantage.

Ayub Khan attempted agricultural reforms, but they were limited to a thresher created by the Aqash Foundation.

During his three-year reign, Yahya Khan neglected development and spent nights listening to Punjabi songs without concern for his country.

In 1972, during his rule, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto nationalized big and middle-level industries to portray himself as a socialist leader and stressed the nationalization of state belongings. 

During Bhutto’s nationalization policies, millions of people were employed, providing timely relief but preventing investment in the country.

Ayub Khan constructed the Tarbela Dam by selling the four rivers of Punjab to India. However, the dam did not live up to expectations. Presently, the Tarbela Dam is filled with silt and sand, which has decreased its water storage capacity. The water stored in it is now inadequate for fulfilling agricultural needs.

Due to human interventions that have stopped the natural flow of rivers in Pakistan, the country is experiencing adverse climate changes. 

The glaciers in the northern regions are melting rapidly, which can lead to a significant part of the country becoming a complete desert. 

Despite the severity of the issue, the leaders have not put forward any specific plan to address this crisis. Instead, they are more focused on obtaining temporary benefits from the international community by highlighting the climate disasters faced by the country.

The progress of the country’s industrial sector has come to a halt due to the absorption of most resources by the 1% neoliberal and elite class. As a result, electricity, gas, and other essential supplies have skyrocketed, making it impossible for any industry to operate profitably.

The region’s infrastructure is severely run down. The resources allocated through CPEC were also channelled toward unproductive projects such as motorways, metro trains, orange trains, and inactive coal-fired power plants. These projects have not only increased the debt burden but have also failed to provide any benefits.

It is uncertain whether China will invest in Phase II of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). This is reportedly because China is upset over the details of Chinese loans that were allegedly provided to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). 

Additionally, some feel that the Pakistani government’s efforts to improve its relationship with the United States demonstrate a double standard.

The Gwadar port, considered the main attraction of CPEC, has been flooded due to poor planning and obstructing the natural flow of water. This issue is likely to persist in the future. As a result of the construction of Marine Drive and Expressway, Gwadar is at risk of turning into a permanent lake during heavy rains. This poses a severe threat to the residents of Gwadar, who may be forced to evacuate the city.

If Gwadar is to be saved, the roads must be demolished, natural rainwater channels must be restored, and rebuilt, which will cost billions.

The development plans for Gwadar are being made without adequately considering the people and the consequences. Due to this negligence, Defense Karachi is prone to flooding. The international community is closely monitoring the situation and wondering what actions the governments will take to prevent further damage to cities like Gwadar and Karachi from flooding.

The lack of a plan has caused Pakistan to operate aimlessly for an extended period. The rehabilitation of such a vast country is unattainable, requiring trillions of dollars.

Pakistan is having difficulty repaying its loan instalments due to financial constraints. To meet its immediate needs, it is considering selling its remaining assets, such as Reko Diq and other minerals. This could bring in over $50 billion, enough to cover the country’s yearly expenses. However, it is uncertain what will happen after that.

The ruling class in Pakistan needs a visionary leader like Lee Kuan, Mahathir Mohammad, or Deng Xiaoping.

I apologize, but neither Jawaharlal Nehru, the founder of Delhi Institute of Technology, nor Dr. Manmohan Singh, whose policies significantly contributed to making India the fourth-largest economy, can be found here. Despite some negative impacts of Modi’s policies, India is projected to surpass Germany and become the world’s third-largest economy by 2030.

There have been capable leaders born in Pakistan who could lead the country forward. However, the democratic process has been disrupted, resulting in the rise of unwise leaders.

If Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardi had not been expelled in 1956, subsequent incidents may not have occurred. If Bhutto had not been executed, Pakistan’s current status could have been similar to that of Malaysia. He could have controlled the bureaucracy if Zia-ul-Haq had not dismissed Mohammad Khan Junejo. If Benazir had not been assassinated, the current pseudo-democratic system would not have been prevalent.

Now that Nawaz Sharif, a moderate leader, has been removed from the scene, Imran Khan and his inexperienced politicians are expected to resolve the significant problems plaguing the country.

The outcome of this situation will be the continuous ruination of the state. The people will continue to suffer from poverty and hunger. The population will keep expanding, leading to a situation that will spiral out of control beyond 2030. This destruction is entirely man-made and preventable.

The best way to address the issue of human-made destruction is by conducting fair and free elections and transferring power to the elected representatives. Imposing fake elections or a hybrid regime is not a solution and can be detrimental to the system. It is important to avoid any unwarranted interference in politics and instead focus on finding a genuine solution to the issue.

When Imran Khan auctioned the cows and buffaloes of the Prime Minister’s House to reduce the country’s expenses, many people saw a similarity to the French Revolution. The French government had previously sold royal horses, and philosopher Voltaire had commented that selling horses would be more dignified than selling donkeys that were members of parliament.

The article was originally published in Daily Intekhab, translated by the Bolan Voice team, and is republished with special thanks.